![Blue-eyed boy blasts off from breakfast
like a quail on a rail
Collie dog leaps on board
and they're off across the prairies
barely touching the tops of hills
Sun gives warmth or cloud gives shade
all depending on his whim
birds and rocks and swaying grass
everything living embraces him
Burrs don't stick and thorns don't prick
even fences joining in the play
happily turn their barbs away
Floating along on the wings of four
won't be long till they slam that door](https://i0.wp.com/www.neilmeili.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Blue-Eyed-Boy.jpg?resize=600%2C600)
Blue-Eyed Boy
![Blue-eyed boy blasts off from breakfast
like a quail on a rail
Collie dog leaps on board
and they're off across the prairies
barely touching the tops of hills
Sun gives warmth or cloud gives shade
all depending on his whim
birds and rocks and swaying grass
everything living embraces him
Burrs don't stick and thorns don't prick
even fences joining in the play
happily turn their barbs away
Floating along on the wings of four
won't be long till they slam that door](https://i0.wp.com/www.neilmeili.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Blue-Eyed-Boy.jpg?resize=600%2C600)
MY UNCLE SHOT MY DOG
My uncle shot my dog
My ever loving, ever loyal
saved me from the coyotes
went back to the ranch to
lead my parents to me
stuck in the mud – just
like in the movies –
Lassie dog
My uncle shot my dog
Maybe she had took to bitin’ people
if she did, I’m sure they had it coming
Maybe she’d got to eatin’ the chickens
if she did, she’d earned every one
Maybe she was old and sick and hurtin’
maybe she was better off dead
than alive
I don’t remember anyone saying that
but I doubt it would’ve helped
Not when it’s your best friend
and you’re five
My uncle shot my dog
My uncle shot my dog
and went to his grave
unforgiven
Maybe I can get it done
before I go to mine
WAVES OF MEMORY
I was sailing into waves of memory
as I drove to my boyhood home
To find that some heavy breakers
had turned to light light foam
Here I walked for miles in freedom
and my home was warm and real
And here my good dog saved me
from a coyote’s tender meal
Here all my innocence was known
And most of it shattered too
As I remembered what people said
and then what they might do
I thought that I could face those waves
with the things that I now know
But I was more than a little surprised
by the strength of the undertow